Renovation and start up costs

[tncattle]

Okay, I'll try to be as detailed but brief as possible. Back in the summer we became acquainted with a nice family who bought a 100 acre former dairy farm. They live about 2000 miles from the farm with intentions of moving there someday to live permanently. They want it to at least be profitable to live on etc. It was last used for dairy operations probably about 12-13 years ago, ALL of the infrastructure is still in place and relatively decent shape. About 25 acres of it is currently in Alfalfa. I know there is MUCH renovation and updating that would need to be done to get it back to a operating dairy. Probably not worth it and maybe not enough to get a realistic answer from y'all but thought I'd try anyway. I was thinking around $150K-$200K to get it back in shape and thats not even the purchase of the dairy cattle!

 

[bigbull338]

i think i can help on the retro fitting of an old exsisting dairy.but theres a few qs i need to ask.1 is there any dairy equipment in the barn.2 is the barn a flatbarn or a pitt aka herringbone.3.is the dairy in milking shape.4.how meny cows can you milk at once in the barn.now you can buy a good used milk tank for $3000 or less.as well as a good milking system for $4000 to $6000.a feed system for $3000 or $4000.manure pump $6000.you could prolly get all the equipment you needed installed for $25000 or less.then put say $15000 in getting the barn to code to get your grade A permitt.then $40,000 for cows.i think you could get everything going for $100,000 or less.but youd need $15,000 to $20,000 to help offset some of the loan.now mind you you an your family would do all of the milking an outside work 2x a day 7 days a week.

 

[tncattle]

i think i can help on the retro fitting of an old exsisting dairy.but theres a few qs i need to ask.1 is there any dairy equipment in the barn.2 is the barn a flatbarn or a pitt aka herringbone.3.is the dairy in milking shape.4.how meny cows can you milk at once in the barn.now you can buy a good used milk tank for $3000 or less.as well as a good milking system for $4000 to $6000.a feed system for $3000 or $4000.manure pump $6000.you could prolly get all the equipment you needed installed for $25000 or less.then put say $15000 in getting the barn to code to get your grade A permitt.then $40,000 for cows.i think you could get everything going for $100,000 or less.but youd need $15,000 to $20,000 to help offset some of the loan.now mind you you an your family would do all of the milking an outside work 2x a day 7 days a week.

1. no dairy equipment in the barn
2. herringbone
3. no, it's not in milking shape
4. 8 or 10

 

[bigbull338]

ok heres where i would start.talk to the state milk inspector.an have him come out an see if the dairy can be brought back up to milking standards.an if he tells you yes get a written list of everything that needs doing.then see what they say the cost will be todo those things.if the dairy doesnt have a lagoon in place im betting 1 will have tobe built.the dairy that we had was permitted for 200 cows because of our land base without a lagoon.but if we went over that then a lagoon had tobe built.

 

[francismilker]

I second the notion to talk to the milk inspector before spending a dime on the existing old barn. And while your visiting with him, inquire about manure disposal standards. In Oklahoma you can get a barn built to the inspector's standards and then have to jump through a lot more expensive hoops to please the DEQ (department of environmental quality).

I know of an Amish family that recently went through the process of building a new parlor and getting ready to start up a fifty cow Jersey dairy. They built the barn themselves and had things ready with the exception of the lagoon and manure disposal. When the "ground-water" guy came out he engineered them a 100'X100'X 12' deep lagoon! WOW! For a fifty cow jersey dairy. They were absolutely overwhelmed! They spend more money on the lagoon and disposal system than the entire parlor and milkhouse build.

It might be something to check out in your state.

 

[bigbull338]

that size lagoon really isnt over kill for a 50 cow herd.a lagoon must hold a years worth of waste from the dairy.an hold a 25 yr 24hr flood without over flowing.if it overflows the fine can be high.